PODCAST: Producing For Gary Vee, Growing An Audience, And Navigating Social Media – An Interview With DRock

In this episode I am thrilled to be joined by David Rock (AKA DRock), who you might know as Gary Vaynerchuk’s Executive Creative Director, and the man behind many incredible content pieces and social media innovations. Throughout this episode, we talk all about DRock’s career trajectory, from meeting Gary to making his first video to scaling...

2d

PODCAST: Winning A Netflix Filmmaking Grant With Filmmakers Evelyn Lorena & Maris Lidaka

Today, I am joined by filmmaking duo Evelyn Lorena (writer/director) and Maris Lidaka (producer/editor) – the team behind Gabriela, a new short film.  Evelyn and Maris were able to leverage the success of their short film to secure a filmmaking grant and fellowship from Netflix, making them another great case-in-point for green lighting your...

2d

Can ChatGPT Write A Good Screenplay? Here’s How It Performed With Story, Character, Dialogue, and more…

Is it possible for ChatGPT to write a screenplay? If so, would it actually be good? I couldn’t help but wonder, so I decided to run some tests and am sharing them here today. By now you’ve all heard about ChatGPT, and know how it can answer just about any question. But perhaps its greatest strength its ability to write and edit huge amounts...

6d

How To Edit A Feature Film In 12 Weeks…

As I enter the final stages of post-production for my latest feature, I’ve been thinking a lot about what made this one so intuitive to edit. While no project is ever without its challenges, this one was truly unique in how streamlined and natural the editorial process felt.I was able to complete the vast majority of the edit in just a 12 week period,...

2w

The Most Lucrative Skills For Filmmakers To Learn

Nearly a decade ago I taught myself color grading. Not because I planned to be a professional colorist forever, but because I knew it would provide me with two much needed benefits: 1. Reduce costs on my film projects2. Open up a lucrative freelance skill Ultimately, it delivered on both fronts. By understanding...

3w

How To Get Started As a Filmmaker: From Shorts To Feature Films

There are so many things I wish I knew when starting out as a filmmaker that would have sped up my career trajectory. So much trial and error that could have been avoided if I only understood some basic principles that are now so obvious in hindsight. No matter what, it takes time to develop your voice, learn the craft, and find...

4w

PODCAST: Creating A Powerful Documentary Feature In 9 Weeks With Mike J Nichols

Returning to the show is acclaimed director and editor Mike J. Nichols, here to talk about his latest feature doc John Waite – The Hard Way. Mike’s latest feature was put together under incredible constraints, and was fully edited in just 9 weeks. Throughout the episode, we discuss some of the benefits and challenges of working this quickly,...

Jan 2023

PODCAST: Making A Debut Short Film With Writer / Director Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez

In this episode I am joined by actor, comedian, and filmmaker Marisela Grajeda Gonzalez to talk all about navigating a career as a filmmaker. Marisela began her filmmaking journey at age 35, when she went back to school to study acting – eventually graduating with a BFA at almost 39 years old. Since, she has forged her own path as a filmmaker...

Jan 2023

How To Cut An Effective Trailer For A Short Film

Trailer editing is an art form unto itself. And editing a trailer for a short film can be especially difficult. In this article I’ll share my approach, philosophy and workflow for short form trailer editing to help you on your creative journey. I’ve cut many trailers for both short and feature films, and have always found feature trailer...

Jan 2023

My Self-Imposed Filmmaking Rules For 2023

As we enter a new year, I thought I would share a few self-imposed filmmaking rules that I am taking into 2023. I hope these are helpful, especially for those with ambitious projects in the works, and who want to maximize creative output: 1.  Always have 2+ projects on the go2.  Never go a year without making a film3.  Work on...

Jan 2023